To be clear, I'm not saying they shouldn't sign Casemiro right now. I'm saying they shouldn't be in a position where they need to do these panic buys at the end of the summer transfer window. And, additionally, they shouldn't be
chronically in a position where they need to do these panic buys at the end of either the summer or January window.
For the amount they're paying for Casemiro and were prepared to pay for Antony (a highly-rated young player from the Eredivisie,
where have we heard that before?), they probably could have bought Declan Rice, a
proven operator in the EPL at the base of midfield.
I mean, back in January (and honestly before), anyone who follows this club knew they needed / would need (with pending summer departures) the following in order of priority:
1. A holding midfielder in the Carrick / Thiago / Rodri mould.
2. A right back who can attack and defend competently at an EPL level.
3. At least cover at center forward given the pending departure of Cavani, the continuing underwhelming of Martial, and Ronaldo being 37 (even if you don't want to make the argument that he's not right for the team, which is an argument I'm more than willing to make), if not an upgrade.
4. A definitive EPL-ready upgrade at centre back.
5. Competition for Shaw at left back.
6. More creativity and quality in attacking midfield.
We're sitting here in August and:
1. Casemiro, a short-term solution (assuming he doesn't immediately drop off like Schweinsteiger did) on a long-term contract from which United will
definitely not be able to move him on.
2. Nope.
3. Nope, though I'm sure a panic buy is incoming, or maybe another winger/inside forward (e.g. Pulisic) will be signed instead.
4. Jury's out on Martinez.
5. Jury's out on Malacia.
6. Eriksen. Nailed this one. Congrats.
If my boss gave me a list of 6 assignments in January and I nailed one, completed another way over budget, had to convince him I completed two, and whiffed on the other two, I'm reasonably sure I'd be fired.